a. Field of the Invention
The instant invention is directed toward a headrail for a powered covering for an architectural opening. More specifically, it relates to a headrail for a battery-powered adjustable covering for an architectural opening.
b. Background Art
It is well known to use adjustable coverings over architectural openings. Such adjustable coverings include cellular panels, Venetian blinds, and many other mechanisms for controlling the passage of light, vision, or air through the architectural openings. For example, cellular panels and Venetian blinds may be adjusted by retracting or extending them, and Venetian blinds may be adjusted by tilting the slats. Depending upon the specific type of mechanism, other adjustments are possible.
It is also known in the art to power these adjustable coverings. For example, electric motors may be used in connection with the adjustable coverings to facilitate retracting the covering or otherwise adjusting the covering to control the amount of light or air that may pass through the covering. It is also known in the art to use battery-powered electric motors, particularly in applications where access to an electrical outlet or other electrical wiring may not exist. In applications where access to the covering may be limited, it is also know to use remote controls to operate the electric motors that configure the covering. For example, when adjustable coverings are used in connection with elevated architectural openings, it may be quite inconvenient to manually change the configuration of the covering.
When an adjustable covering is battery-powered, it is challenging to design an aesthetically pleasing system wherein the battery or batteries are convenient to the electric actuators they power. To design an attractive battery-powered adjustable covering, it is preferable that the battery or batteries are located within the headrail and thereby hidden from view.
The headrail of the present invention has been designed such that a battery or batteries are conveniently hidden within the headrail. The headrail comprises a housing having an interior and a battery magazine removably attached within the interior of the housing. In one form of the invention, a pair of magazine end caps are attached to the ends of the battery magazine. These end caps may have tabs extending from their bottom edges. The tabs are inserted into corresponding tab slots formed in the housing. Further, each magazine end cap may comprise a first attachment ear and a second attachment ear. Attachment screws pass through though these attachment ears and screw into battery magazine screw channels to attach the end caps to the battery magazine.
In another form of the invention, the battery magazine comprises a front leg and a rear leg. These front and rear legs of the battery magazine are supported on a bottom wall of the housing. In yet another form of the invention, the housing comprises a front wall, a rear wall, and a portion extending into the interior of the housing from either the front wall or the rear wall. This extending portion interacts with a placement tang that comprises part of the battery magazine thereby helping to hold the battery magazine in position within the housing.
In yet another form of the invention, the housing further comprises a bottom wall having an opening in it through which one or more batteries may be loaded into or extracted from the battery magazine.
To conduct electricity from the batteries held by the battery magazine to a battery-powered actuator, the headrail further comprises conductive terminals attached to the magazine end caps by fasteners. A spring may be attached within the battery magazine to enhance electrical contact between the batteries and the conductive terminals. Finally, an electrical connector is connected between the conductive terminals and the actuator.
A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in the following description and claims, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.